Definition

1. Verb phrase:
   • To have the habit of (doing something negative): To be accustomed to a bad habit over a long period, implying it is ingrained and difficult to change. It carries a critical or disapproving tone.
   • To be in the habit of (something undesirable): To be used to a particular, often negative, pattern of behavior.

Usage Examples

• Verb phrase:
  • Nó đã quen thói nói dối. (He has the habit of lying.)
  • Họ quen thói làm ăn gian dối. (They are in the habit of doing business dishonestly.)
  • Đừng quen thói đến muộn. (Don't get into the habit of arriving late.)

Advanced Usage

• The phrase is almost exclusively used to criticize persistent bad habits or negative character traits. It suggests the behavior is not just occasional but has become a defining, stubborn characteristic.

Variants and Related Words

• Thói quen (n): Habit. This is a neutral noun for any habit, good or bad.

  • Cô ấy có thói quen đọc sách mỗi tối. (She has the habit of reading every evening.)

• Quen miệng (v): To be in the habit of saying (often something inappropriate).

  • Anh ta quen miệng chửi thề. (He habitually swears.)

Synonyms

• To be accustomed to (a bad habit)
• To make a habit of (something negative)
• To be prone to (a vice)

Related Idioms

• Quen thói cũ: To be stuck in one's old (bad) ways.

  • Ông ấy vẫn quen thói cũ, chẳng chịu thay đổi. (He is still stuck in his old ways, refusing to change.)

• Quen thói ăn không ngồi rồi: To be in the habit of being idle and lazy.

  • Mấy đứa trẻ đó quen thói ăn không ngồi rồi. (Those kids are in the habit of being idle.)

1. have the habit of